The present invention is directed to a flashlight having a flexible jacket which is adapted to be pressed inwardly to activate a lamp, and in particular to such a flashlight wherein the jacket is selectively removable to allow the selective removal and replacement of the batteries which energize the lamp.
Prior flashlights having a flexible jacket for activating the flashlight, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,718, which is assigned to Press-A-Lite Corporation, the applicant herein, include batteries which are not selectively removable and replaceable. Other such flashlights include a housing having oppositely facing concave channels adapted to receive batteries. In such flashlights, it is difficult to retain both batteries in the opposing channels while assembling the flashlight for use as one or the other of the batteries tends to fall out of its channel during assembly. Other flashlights include a housing having oppositely facing channels wherein each channel includes resilient arms which extend around greater than one-half the circumference of the battery. The opposing resilient arms are spaced apart to allow a battery be snapped into or out of the channel. However, the installation and/or removal of a battery from the gripping engagement of the arms of the housing can be difficult, especially for people that may have arthritis or other conditions which effect the use of their hands.